You have talked a number of times about the conditions under which an employer can dismiss an employee with notification or benefits but what about an employee if he is wronged or he suffers at the hands of his employer. Is it possible for an employee to quit his job without notification? If so, under what circumstances and will he get any benefits if he does so?

Name withheld
Answer: Yes, an employee can quit his organization without notification under some circumstances which have been defined by the Kuwait Labor Law. He will also be entitled to his end of service benefits. In this connection you need to have a look at Article 48 of the Kuwait Labor Law, enacted on Feb 20, 2010, which says as follows: “The worker shall have the right to terminate his work contract without notification and shall be entitled to his end of service benefits in any of the following cases:

1. If the employer does not abide by the terms of the contract or the provisions of the law.

2. If the worker was assaulted by or by provocation from either the employer or his deputy.

3. If continuing work will endanger his safety and health pursuant to the decision of the medical arbitration committee at the Ministry of Health.

4. If the employer or his deputy committed an act or fraud with regard to work conditions upon signing the contract.

5. If the employer accuses the worker of committing a punishable act and the final verdict acquits him.

6. If the employer or his deputy commits an act that violates public morals against the worker.

So, you can clearly see that if the law gives the right to an employer to sack his employee without notification and without benefits under some circumstances, the employee also has the right to quit his employer without notification but with benefits under a different set of circumstances.